Section Chief: Jeffrey B. Kopp, M.D.
About Our Research
The Kidney Disease Section has two missions:
- to provide renal consultation to in-patients and out-patients at the NIH Clinical Research Center, including those with hypertension, fluid and electrolyte disorders, acute kidney injury, and chronic kidney disease
- to conduct studies on pathogenesis and therapy of glomerular disease, with a current concentration on focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and membranous nephropathy
Current Research
The Kidney Disease Section studies various kidney diseases, including lupus nephritis, membranous nephropathy, and the podocyte diseases, particularly focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.
We have developed a Glomerular Disease Primer that presents kidney anatomy, physiology, and histology and several major glomerular diseases.
The goal of our research is to find better treatments for glomerular disease that are more effective and less toxic.
Our work on mechanisms and therapy is aimed to improve our ability to diagnose and treat two common kidney diseases, Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and membranous nephropathy, that pose a threat to long-term kidney function.
Research Images
Podocytes
C22 Peak
Nephron
HIV Vpr alters renal sodium-chloride handling
Urine single-cell RNA-sequencing in focal segmental glomerulosclerosis reveals inflammatory signatures
Phenotypes in APOL1 animal models
Summary of published glomerular disease studies applying single-cell/nucleus technology
Rationale and design for a phase 1 study of N-acetylmannosamine for primary glomerular diseases
APOL1 RNA secondary structure serving as a scaffold for tandem PKR binding